As Mayor Jimmy Giannettino marks his first year in office, the city of Auburn faces a mix of fiscal challenges and development opportunities, from police staffing shortages to long-overdue road repairs.
During a recent appearance on Inside Government, Giannettino addressed the city’s ongoing budget constraints, highlighting significant overtime costs for both the fire and police departments. Auburn had to transfer $9,000 to cover additional fire department overtime, largely due to a fatal structure fire that required extended emergency response. The police department’s overtime costs are also rising due to persistent staffing shortages.
“For as long as I’ve been involved in local government, we’ve had vacancies in the police department,” Giannettino said, explaining that while positions are budgeted, recruitment remains difficult. He noted that the hiring process—requiring background checks, physical exams, and academy training—further narrows the candidate pool. Currently, the department has eight vacancies but only a dozen candidates remaining in the hiring pipeline.
Auburn recently appointed a new police chief, Matt Androsko, to replace the retired Chief James Slayton. Androsko, a department veteran, was hired through the civil service system rather than by direct appointment, a distinction that sets Auburn apart from larger cities. One point of contention is that Androsko does not reside within Auburn, breaking with the city’s past requirement for department heads to live within municipal limits.
“We’ve changed that policy out of necessity,” Giannettino said. “We’re having trouble filling positions, and it’s tough to ask someone to uproot their family.”
The city’s financial picture remains uncertain, particularly regarding state aid. While Auburn received a slight boost in Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) funding last year, the latest state budget failed to include any additional increases. Giannettino expressed frustration that while the Auburn school district received a $3 million increase in state aid, the city received nothing.
Meanwhile, infrastructure concerns are mounting. The city’s contract to maintain the state-owned arterial road has been unchanged since 1987, despite rising costs. Additionally, a long-awaited project to repave the arterial has been delayed again, with state officials pushing the work back to next year.
“If our contract expired tomorrow, I would vote against renewing it,” Giannettino said, arguing that Auburn shouldn’t be responsible for maintaining a state highway without updated funding.
On a more positive note, Auburn is seeing progress in economic development. Two new cannabis dispensaries—Wildflower and Flintstone—are set to open, bringing in additional tax revenue. A proposed $23 million housing development on Dunning Avenue, led by Park Grove Realty, aims to meet growing demand for market-rate townhomes. The project, still in its early stages, seeks a $1 million infrastructure grant but requires county approval before moving forward.
As Auburn continues to grapple with financial and staffing challenges, Giannettino remains focused on expanding the tax base and advocating for increased state support.
“We need to keep pushing for the funding and development that Auburn deserves,” he said.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].